Twitter’s latest terms of service update addresses some privacy concerns.
Twitter now expressly prohibits posting revenge porn or other non-consensual, intimate photos using the service. Buzzfeed reports that Twitter made two significant changes to its terms of service Wednesday evening designed to prevent the posting of explicit photos taken without the subject’s consent. It also issued a new FAQ about the subject based on questions that Buzzfeed had asked.
To its terms of service regarding the posting of private information, Twitter added: “You may not post intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject’s consent.” And under “threats and abuse,” the company added: “users may not post intimate photos or videos that were taken or distributed without the subject’s consent.” Violating the policy could result in a user’s account being locked. The move comes two weeks after Reddit, in a major shift, cracked down on revenge porn itself.
It also comes as users have put increasing pressure on Twitter to address the harassment and abuse that is rampant on the platform, particularly harassment targeted at women. The company has begun surveying users about how often they are harassed on Twitter, and it recently improved its process for reporting abuse. The tools and surveys emerged just weeks after The Verge published internal memos from CEO Dick Costolo in which he said “we suck at dealing with abuse.”
